FOUND DROWNED.

Taranaki Daily News, 1 November 1920, Page 4

FOUND DROWNED.

RAHOTU. RESIDENT'S DEATH. BODY IN KAIHIHI STREAM. A young man, Richard Bell, 23 years of age, a resident of Rahotu, was found drowned in the Kaihihi stream late on Friday evening. Bell had left home on the previous Monday morning (October 25) with some cattle for Stony River, but his failure to return for the first few days did not occasion his wife any anxiety, as on October 26 Mrs. Bell received a telegram stating her father, who lived at Waitara. was ill, and she thought that her husband had learned of this and had gone to see him. By Friday, however, Mrs. Bell had not received any news from her husband and instituted inquiries, with the result that the body was found later in the stream just 'below the main road. Deceased's horse was found in an adjoining paddock. At the inquest held yesterday, before Mr. T. A. B. Bailey, S.M., the evidence adduced showed that Bell reached Stony River between three and four on Monday afternoon. He loft the hotel abopt 4.30, riding his horse. He said he was going home by the back road, This meant that deceased would have two streams to cross. He was going up the Kaihihi Road, and the crossing in the stream just below where the body was found was a short distance further on, being about five minutes' journey. The deceased's watch had stopped at 4.35 A verdict was returned that deceased died by drowning on October 25.